Counting apparatus for pattern-knives.



No. 650,653. Patented May 29; I900. A. PIEPEB.

COUNTING APPARATUS FOR PATTERN KNIVES.

(Application filed Oct. 16, 1899.)

(No Infidel.)

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ALOYS PIEPER, on LunrNeHAUsEN, GERMANY- COUNTING APPARATUSQFOR PATTEFlN-KNIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,653, dated May 29, 1900.

Application filed Catcher 16, 1899- Serial No- 733 737. (N0 model.)

T0 (6% whom it may concern:

I Be it known that I, ALOYS PIEPER, a sub ject of the German Emperor, residing at Ludinghausen, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counting Apparatus for Pattern-Knives, of which the following is a specification.

In cutting out of leather, paper, linen, and the like patterns for shoe-Vamps, envelopblanks, and other purposes it is customary to use a manually-portable pattern-knife of the required contour which is positioned by hand over the material to avoid waste and secure the greatest economy in cutting". The position once determined, the platen of a press is brought down on the knife and it is forced through the material beneath, or else a strikin g-block, of wood,is placed upon it and given a sharp blow with a heavy mallet,this being often the course when the material is light or of littlejresistance. Each individual knife of this character cuts a pattern of a constant size and shape, and it has heretofore been customary to count these patterns by hand after they are cut and before they are given out to be worked up or the stacks of said patterns where several thicknesses are cut at once, it being practically impossible to count them by registering devices located on the press itself and enumerating the strokes of the platen, for the reason that several knives of different pattern may be concurrently beneath this platen or the operative maybe crowded out from one press during a brief absence and compelled to await his turn or to take .his work to another press. It is also impractical to place registering or counting devices upon the striking-block when the latter is used,because itis employed,like the press, indiscriminately upon different knives. In my improvement I so construct and arrange counting or registering apparatus that it may be attached to the portable pattern-knife itself and when so attached will be operated by the platen when it comes down or by the striking-block when hit by the mallet, thus obtaining for each individual knife a complete record automatically of the number of patterns cut by that knife during any particular stint or days work.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is atop plan view of a pattern-knife for cutting shoe-Vamps,

having registering mechanism according to my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sec- Fig. 318:

side elevation of the counting or registering L device detached from said knife, and Fig. 4:

i is a perspective viewthereof also detached.

In applying the invention to a knife of the type chosen for the purpose of an exponent the automatic counter A is preferably fixed on the incurved wall I) of the knife B by any suitable means as, for instance, by the squared shank E from its casing passed through a slot e in the wall of the knife and secured by a nut E, which may be an ordi-= nary thumb-nut. v

The counting apparatus proper need not differ essentially from that heretofore employed in hand instruments for counting or numbering; but the handle ordinarily used, as well as the spring arranged therein, is omitted and its place taken by other instrumentalities, as will immediately appear.

Mounted in the casing or housing F are one or more counting-disks F, having numerals on their peripheries. When several disks are employed, each will have ten numerals from O to 9, inclusively, and the arrangement will be such that when the first disk or any succeeding one completes a full rotation its successor will be moved forward the space of one numeral; To the first disk is secured a ratchet-wheel G, and the succeeding disks may be driven from the first in any wellknown way; but in the apparatus specifically shown there is a ratchet-wheel to each disk and a pronged pawl G is caused to actuate the initial disk with its first prong and at the completion of a revolution thereof by dropping into a deeper notch in the ratchet, to engage with a tooth of the succeeding ratchetwheel by its second prong and move the second counting-disk one numeral, and so on, all

this being of common knowledge in the art.

H is a radius-spring secured at one end to the heel of the pawl G and at the other end to the inner wall of the housing and carrying an arm or arms H, which project upward through openings h.in said housing into such position that they normally rise slightly above the top or upper edge of the pattern knife to which the counting device is attached 1 to normal after each actuation, retracting- At the extreme end oithese arms is mounted an antifriction-roll K for contact with the platen 0r striking-blotalqbut this roll may be dispensed with and the end of the arm or arms suitably formed for such contact with a minimum of friction. When the platen or block descends, it is evident that it will actuatethe counting iustrumentalities through roller, arm, spring, and pawl in the same stroke with which it forces the knife through the material beneath and that should there be a plurality of pattern-knives upon the material and beneath the platen each having its individual counter all of said counters will be independently actuated and register the number appertaining to their special pattern.

To aid the spring H in restoring the parts springs L are secured to the lateral walls of the housing by one end and at the other end press against pins Z, jutting out from the sides oi the pawl, and to bring the antifriction-roll near to the knife and to save space the housing is socketed, as at m, that the roll may close into said socket when depressed by the platen. The height of the counting apparatus may be varied relatively to the knife through its connection therewith, so as to insure the proper amount of throw to the pawl.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1 The counting apparatus herein described, comprising the housing with its shank for attachment to a knife, the counting disk or disks, the ratchet-wheel, the pawl and radiusspring, the arm or arms carrying the antifriction-roll, and the retracting-springs.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

4 [more PIEPER. \Vitnesses:

WILLIAM EssEN-WEIN, GEO. P. Pn'rrrr. 

